Makeup
by jokermobile
Summary: Arthur wants to see Malcolm without his makeup. Arthur/Malcolm, fluff.


Arthur opened his eyes, still groggy with sleep. The first thing he saw was Malcolm sitting in front of the mirror, preparing to apply his makeup. He met eyes with Arthur in the mirror and smiled. "Morning."

Arthur smiled back. He walked over to Malcolm, resting his head on the singer's shoulder and wrapping his arms around his waist. "Hi."

"I was thinking we could go get breakfast. After I finish? And after you're ready, too, of course. What do you think?"

"Alright." Arthur changed into bellbottoms and a t-shirt and sat on his bed to wait for Malcolm. Sometimes, he swore his boyfriend was crazy. He'd said this aloud once (on accident, of course), and Malcolm beamed as if it were his highest aspiration.

Every night, Malcolm waited until everyone else was asleep, painting obscure pictures, or writing strange songs and poems. About half a dozen of Malcolm's paintings hung neatly in frames on the walls of the apartment he shared with his band mates. Arthur's favorite was the one that hung in their room. It was an abstract portrait of him, made up of the same blue shades as Brian Slade. Ask anyone else, and they'd say it was a picture of Brian Slade. Only Arthur knew the truth, and only because Malcolm had told him. Of course, Malcolm could have also lied about this just to get laid.

Once everyone else was asleep, Malcolm showered, removing his makeup in the steamy bathroom. He then snuck back into his and Arthur's room and between the covers. No matter how quietly he did this, he always managed to wake Arthur in the process (if Arthur was asleep in the first place; he usually preferred to wait up for Malcolm). They'd talk for a short while before they'd start kissing, and one thing would lead to another, and pretty soon, they'd both be nude, making love. Arthur would take in a good drink of Malcolm's body before this. Malcolm would still be moist and warm and clean-smelling from the shower. Malcolm was Arthur's guilty pleasure.

Every morning, Malcolm applied makeup before he left their room. Arthur sometimes wore some blush and/or eyeliner (occasionally more makeup for concerts or special occasions), but Malcolm? Good Lord. That boy applied deep rouge to his cheeks, red lip color, mascara, eyeliner, cream shadow with glitter over it, and lip gloss. He then strutted into the bathroom to wet down the sex hair he still had from the night before and slick it beneath his hat. Applying face, he called it, and he did this every day, regardless of where he was going that day or whether he had a show to play. Arthur didn't get it.

In the mornings, though, and late at night, there was a pocket of time where Malcolm took off his mask and went naked. Where he allowed his hair to be messy, and talked in his sleep and stole all the blanket. Arthur didn't think it possible, but he'd done it. He'd found something more intimate than sex. This made him love Malcolm more. That someone so uptight about his appearance—that someone who wouldn't even leave his bedroom without a mask—could ignore those compulsions for him…it overwhelmed him. It didn't make sense. What could Arthur have possibly done to break down that wall, or for Malcolm to grow so attached he was willing to move into Arthur's room ("Now, we've got another spare room in case we need to take in any more strays," Malcolm had explained with a smile when he moved. The rest of his band mates rolled their eyes and smirked, knowing better)? Either way, Arthur felt grateful and honored.

Malcolm headed out to the bathroom, shouting cheerful greetings to his band mates along the way. Arthur knew this meant it was almost time to go and zipped on some boots. Malcolm emerged a moment later, grinning and swinging an arm around Arthur's neck.

"Where to?" Malcolm asked when the pair reached the street.

"You didn't plan in advance? Typical," Arthur teased.

"Oh, hush. It's not like you ever plan ahead. Let's just go to that same little place down the street that we always go to."

"Sounds good to me."

The couple walked down the street to the corner bakery and ordered some pastries that would have been too rich for most other people at that hour, and some coffee. They walked back to the apartment together, eating their pastries and drinking their coffee and talking and leaning against each other as they laughed. They collapsed on the couch together when they reached the apartment.

Arthur placed a hand to his temple, kneading a sudden headache. "I should've had something besides caffeine and sugar for breakfast," he groaned.

Malcolm smirked. "My poor baby," he teased.

"Shut up, you! You can _tolerate_ this kind of thing; I can't."

"Then why did you do it?"

Arthur smiled sheepishly. "Because I wanted something sweet."

"I'll show you something sweet." Malcolm pressed Arthur down on the couch and kissed him. He pulled away and looked down into his lover's eyes, brushing away a strand of his hair.

"You're so beautiful," Arthur stated. His hand moved to Malcolm's face, his fingers brushing against Malcolm's lips. He brushed a little harder, until the cherry red came off on his fingers and Malcolm's lips were bare save for a light stain. "Why do you always wear so much makeup?"

Malcolm jerked a bit, stunned by the question. "This," he said, motioning to his face. "…you know it's all a show, right? I mean, it's not the real me. The Malcolm you see…that's the real Malcolm. I've told you, it's applying—"

"Applying face. Yes, yes, you've told me. I just prefer you so much _without_ makeup."

Malcolm stared down at Arthur a little bit longer, then climbed off him. Arthur sat up next to hm. They sat in awkward silence a little bit longer before Arthur rose and left for their bedroom.

Minutes later, Malcolm entered, too. Arthur didn't budge as Malcolm slid onto the bed beside him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Look at me," Malcolm demanded in a whisper. Arthur turned over, shocked to see Malcolm without his makeup. Malcolm grinned. "Since it'll probably be a while before the others wake up, I decided I could go a little longer without makeup."

Arthur smiled back, wrapping an arm of his own around his boyfriend. "You spoil me," he teased.

"You love it." And he kissed him.


End file.
